Imperial Guard - Chapter 19



Only Noblemtl

Episode 19

The Last Dragon of the Continent

Dragon’s Nest.

In other words, Dragon Lair.

It is a place that countless novel protagonists use as a treasure trove.

‘What the heck is going on···.’

Tia examined Rael’s body from side to side, then told him to follow her as she needed a closer examination, and went into a cave at the corner of the lake.

Rael was now following behind him, looking around.

Jerk- Jerk-

The first thing you see inside the cave is the high ceiling.

In fact, looking at the smooth walls, it seemed closer to an artificial tunnel than a cave.

Only the water dripping from the stalactites reminded us that this place was originally a cave.

“Have you ever seen a Dragon Lair?”

“No. This is my first time.”

“Well, I’m the only dragon left on the continent. Consider it an honor.”

“···.”

As if she wasn’t expecting an answer, Tia just laughed and walked ahead.

Rael looked at Tia’s back and recalled their conversation earlier.

[You don’t see any magical power in your soul. Rather… it’s engraved in your muscles and veins. This is the dragon’s way.]

[Also, the magical power pattern is also very strange. It seems like the magical power was injected into the body before it could properly grow… But since it was not injected by someone else, but rather the body itself changed accordingly because it used its own power.]

[A being with human characteristics but like a dragon… Human. No, Rael. What is your true identity?]

Although it felt good to hear the compliments after such a long time, Tia told Rael something important.

Rael finally understood the source of this body’s talents.

‘I had no soul, but I forcibly absorbed magic power, so the magic power ended up in my body.’

Rael has been using his magical powers on his own since he was a newborn, when his body had not yet fully developed.

But he had no soul that should be imbued with magic.

Eventually, the magic power seeped into his muscles and blood, and at some point, the very nature of his body changed.

If a dragon can mistake itself for its own kind, there’s no need to explain how great the effect was.

Perhaps it is because of his excellent senses.

‘··· Tsk. My senses weren’t a privilege of this world.’

Rael’s face crumpled at the truth he learned too late.

In the end, he found himself thrown into a medieval fantasy with his bare body.

‘Still… it could have been dangerous if I had done it wrong. I was lucky.’

In this world, the only being without a soul is Rael.

The only result of the experiment that asked, ‘What happens when a soulless creature receives magic?’ is Rael.

If you were unlucky, your body might have burst as soon as you were reincarnated, unable to accept the magic.

“Isn’t it amazing?”

“yes?”

At that moment, Tia’s clear voice penetrated Rael’s ears.

“Special Guards… It’s strange that a human like you would come to such a remote place. This must be a stroke of fate.”

“··· I’m not that great of a guy.”

“Your identity requires a closer examination. It cannot be determined simply by looking at it.”

“··· Inspection?”

“It’s nothing special, so don’t be afraid. Oh, and do you have any questions? It’s been thousands of years since I’ve talked to a human, so if you have any questions, I’ll answer them.”

In units of time spans of several thousand years, Rael looked at Tia’s body.

She looked just like a young woman, so it must have been a magic called polymorphism.

It was my first time seeing it in person, so it was amazing.

“Why are you in human form and not as a dragon?”

“When studying magic, the most efficient form is human. First of all, it’s convenient that they have five fingers, they’re pretty good-looking, and they only have to eat a little. Well, if you really want to be more precise, a tentacle monster like a kraken would be more efficient, but I hate to see that.”

“aha···.”

It was information I would never have known if I hadn’t met the dragon.

It may not help much in life, but small talk like this is the best way to lighten the mood.

Rael looked at Tia’s expression and asked what he was really curious about.

“Why are you in the special guard, Tia? If you’re a dragon, you can do anything.”

“I can’t do anything. I’m sensitive to the smell of magic.”

Jiiing-

Tia responded by moving her magic to push away one side of the cave wall.

Inside the wall that moved according to her magic, something like a laboratory appeared.

“oh···.”

Rael followed Tia inside, amazed by the lab’s magnificent size.

The ceiling was much higher than the cave they had just passed through, and the sparkling magic stones embedded in the ceiling shone like stars in the night sky.

It seemed like there was some sort of spatial magic going on.

“There’s no such thing as treasure? I thought there were a lot of treasures in Dragon Lair.”

“That’s just for gathering young dragons. I’ve already graduated.”

Every time Tia entered the lab, the magical tools in the place she passed by began to activate.

The dragon’s overwhelming magical power supplied magical power to the surrounding area just by walking.

“Rael. Do you know what dragons like?”

“Isn’t it magic?”

It’s a fantasy staple that dragons love magic.

“Half right, half wrong. To be precise, we like things that are new and novel.”

“Something new and exciting?”

Taak-

When Tia snapped her fingers, a chair and table flew in from one side of the lab.

Rael also sat down, watching Tia naturally sit down on the chair.

At the same time, the teacups and teapot clanked and poured a cup of tea in front of Tia and Rael.

“The dragon’s greatest enemy is boredom.”

sniffling-

Tia began to talk while drinking flower tea with beautiful flowers floating on it.

Rael followed her and drank a cup of tea, but his expression became distorted because it was so disgustingly tasteless.

“Don’t you drink tea? That’s one way to overcome boredom. It’s harder than you think to overcome boredom in a long life. The reason dragons are known to like magic is because magic is the most interesting and never gets old.”

“Ugh, how bored must you be to drink something bitter like this?”

Rael put down his teacup and frowned.

I wondered what kind of tea it was, but it turned out to be just tea made with pretty wild flowers.

“Because new tastes are also stimulating. Anyway, dragons are not a race that likes magic. They are a race that takes interest in things that are interesting, even if they are not necessarily magic.”

Slurp-

As Tia stretched out her right hand, magical tools on one side of the lab flew in.

Among them, a subspace magic sphere made of glass was also seen.

“that···!”

Rael frowned as he looked at the turbid magic within the glass sphere.

A vibe that was all too familiar to him.

It was the ghostly energy and magical energy that the Ghost King was spewing out.

“I asked you earlier why you were in the special guard unit. I was curious about the existence of the Demon King. A monster created by the malice of humans has never appeared before.”

Ghost King···!

Tia’s purpose was to study the Demon King.

She most likely knew the information Rael wanted to know.

“Besides, this place full of ghosts is nice because it doesn’t smell like magic. There are living things everywhere on the continent, so the smell of magic tickles my nose.”

For Tia, who is sensitive to the smell of magic, the special guards would be like heaven.

Plus, there was a ghost king to study, so it would have been killing two birds with one stone.

Now I think I know why Tia joined the Special Guard.

Rael carefully asked the most important thing.

“I’m also curious about the Ghost King, Tia.”

“Hehe. Well. Should I tell you? Do you want to know?”

“···.”

Rael kept his mouth shut, not knowing how to react to the sudden invitation.

Tia smiled at the reaction and continued.

“Humans are truly amazing. They are not loved by nature like elves, nor are they stupidly strong like giants. They are not skilled in magic like dragons, nor can they use magic like demons. But… In the end, it is humans who have ruled the continent for a long, long time. Do you know why?”

“··· Could it be because there are too many people?”

“That’s true, but it’s not the right answer. The reason humans rule the world is because every era, a mutant like you emerges. Humans call such mutants heroes.”

“···.”

It seems like Tia has an incredibly high opinion of herself.

Rael waited quietly for Tia’s next words.

“Rael. I want to study your body. You are my new interest. If you are curious about my knowledge, I will share it with you as much as you want. We will become a cooperative relationship.”

Tia smiled brightly and held out her hand, and Rael looked at her.

In fact, if Tia put her mind to it, Rael couldn’t resist. But she still asked Rael for permission.

With such a kind dragon, cooperation was more than welcome.

“Please take good care of me, Tia.”

Rael took her hand with a faint smile.

Only then did Tia nod her head, seemingly satisfied.

“Good. There’s a lot to study for the time being. Rael. You want to hear about the Demon King, right?”

“Yes. I wonder why she is sealed here.”

“Hmm. Where should I start? You know that the Demon King is a being that contains all of humanity’s malice, right? This special guard was also created for the Demon King.”

Tia, who had sent the magic tools back to their proper places with a gesture, crossed her legs and began to speak.

“I know.”

“She is a monster that transforms human malice into magic and ghosts. To humans, she is no different from a disaster… but to the demons of Alheim, it is different.”

“Are you a demon?”

Rael nodded at the new information.

The connection between the Demon Tribe and the Ghost King does not appear in the novel.

From now on, it was a backstory that Rael didn’t know.

“Yes. The Demon King and the Demon Clan that rule Alheim need magic. If the Demon King falls into the hands of the Demon King, war will start immediately.”

“··· So that’s why you’re hiding it.”

“If I could kill the Demon King, I would, but humans don’t have the power to destroy the Demon King. I guess they think it’s better to keep him with them than to let him fall to the demons.”

“This may be rude, but… can’t you take care of the demon king, Tia?”

Rael asked cautiously.

I haven’t seen Tia for long, but she seems friendly towards humans.

“My magic is too strong to come into contact with the Demon King’s malice. If she goes berserk, everyone around here will die?”

“ah···.”

If you think about it, only one person should have been assigned to the job of watching over the Ghost King.

I once heard from Yuri that if two or more intelligent beings approach, the Demon King’s malice may go out of control.

If it’s a dragon, it’s natural that it has a presence greater than that of two humans.

“But don’t worry too much. This special guard is an unusual place created by the Imperial Family and the Sect, the two greatest forces in the Empire, joining forces. The barrier surrounding the Demon King is also very strong, so the Demons won’t notice.”

“··· yes.”

Tia spoke confidently, but Rael knew that the future would be one in which the Demon King would run wild.

‘Did the Demon Tribe make the Demon King go berserk?’

That’s unlikely.

This is the center of the empire, a fortress guarded by the Thousand-Slayer Sword Master and a dragon.

If the Demons could invade here, the war would have already begun.

It was clear that another variable had arisen internally.

‘Why was the Demon King in District 5 in the first place? If he could have been subdued, he could have found another way…’

Rael frowned and thought about the connection between the Demon Tribe and the Demon King.

But it wasn’t a problem that had an answer right away.

‘··· I feel like it’s getting harder because I’m only hearing vague information.’

I can’t keep nagging Tia to find out more information.

She couldn’t possibly imagine that the Demon King would go berserk in a few years, and she couldn’t tell Rael that she knew the future.

All Rael could do was watch the situation change over time.

“Everything is greed. The greed of humans and demons who want to rule the continent. In between, the ones shedding tears of blood are the lives below.”

After finishing his worries, Rael looked at Tia with curious eyes.

Even though she was a dragon, she had a connection with Rael.

It felt like I was talking to a person.

“Okay, if you don’t have any more questions, can I study your body now? If you have any questions, you can ask them later. I’ll answer them whenever you come to me.”

“Oh, yes. Okay. But how do you study my body?”

“It’s a strange phenomenon I haven’t seen in a long time, so I have to be careful.”

Chiik- Cheolkeodeok-

As Tia spoke, equipment she had never seen before appeared behind her.

All of her equipment was pointy and sharp.

“Since it’s your first time, I’ll only take out 2 liters of blood. Oh, and can I cut off just one finger? I’ll treat it right away…”

“yes?”

Did I mishear you?

Rael asked back, doubting his ears.

“It won’t hurt. It’ll just sting a little? Don’t worry too much, it’ll grow back quickly with my magic.”

The magic scissors slashed behind Tia.

Rael, who had been blankly watching the scene, quickly grasped the situation.

“Tea, Tia. There’s a whale flying in the sky?!”

And then he opened his eyes wide as he looked behind Tia.

“What? Such an interesting creature···!”

Taat-

As soon as Tia turned her eyes, Rael ran out of the lab.

Tia, who noticed Rael’s escape too late, started shouting.

“Wait a minute! Rael! I’m joking! Come back! I won’t cut off your fingers!”

“Then you’re saying you’re going to draw blood!”

Is there such a crazy lizard?

Rael focused his magic power on his feet and increased his speed.

Percussion- chuck- chuck-

“Oh, dear. Why are you running away? Rael. Okay. I’m not joking, so come here.”

··· Of course, I couldn’t run away.

Tia’s magical power shot out like tentacles from the magical tools scattered all over the lab and bound Rael’s entire body.

In the first place, once we got deep into the lab, there was no way to escape.

“Ah …

“Don’t worry, I won’t kill you.”

Rael, who attempted to escape, was tied to a chair and had his blood drawn by force.

Fortunately, the finger and two liters of blood seemed to be just a dragon joke.

She took only as much of Rael’s blood as she needed.

“Hmm. Isn’t that strange? The quality of the magical power is good, but strangely, the magical power output is low. Does it have weak endurance?”

“··· Yes. That’s right. Can you tell that just by looking at the blood?”

“Oh…! On the other hand, I can’t believe that the body is human! The hero of this era is flowing into me. I can’t help but think that this is truly the world’s guidance!”

Tia forgot to respond to Rael’s words and just kept exclaiming in admiration.

She was muttering to herself and then snorting as she mixed something into Rael’s blood.

What is that? It looks really fun.

Wouldn’t that be the feeling you get if there was a mad scientist right in front of you?

‘I’m sure Reina and Tia were close… why am I the only one being treated like this?’

Rael sighed as he sat on his chair.

Among crazy people, it’s common for normal people to become crazy.

Life wasn’t easy today either.

“Tia, may I ask you something?”

Suddenly, a question occurred to me.

Tia tilted her head at Rael’s words.

“Yeah. What is it?”

“You said I was the hero of this era… But isn’t the hero of this era you, the Thousand-Sal Sword Lord? I don’t have the confidence to become that strong.”

Rael can know this because he has personally experienced the power of the Thousand-Sal Sword Master.

No matter what Rael does, the monster can’t keep up.

“Ah… That man is a hero from the past. He already prevented a war.”

“Is that how it is?”

“He was beyond the realm of humanity to begin with. He seems closer to the phenomenon of swordsmanship than to humanity… Even though you may be like a dragon, you’re still human, right? No matter how I look at it, you’re more interesting.”

As expected of a crazy dragon, Tia’s standards were arbitrary.

It seems that in order to escape from the test subject, I will have to bring the main character of the novel later.

“Then can I ask you one more question?”

“Ask me anything you want.”

“If Tia and the Ghost King fight, who will win?”

Tia raised the corners of her lips in response to Rael’s question.

“That’s a cute human question. Well… I haven’t seen a being stronger than me in 3,000 years. I guess the Demon King is no different.”

There was no confidence in Tia’s voice.

It seemed like he was just reciting the obvious.

It was common sense that there was no living being stronger than her.

‘···.’

Again, Rael became curious.

‘The Thousand-Year-Old Sword Master and the Dragon… These monsters are losing to the Demon King?’

The Thousand-Year-Old Sword Master I met in person was worthy of being called the strongest in the world.

The domain of humanity’s strongest prosecutor was truly an unstoppable outrage.

As Tia said, he was an incredibly strong person.

The same goes for dragons.

When captured by Tia at the lakeside, Rael was crushed by her overwhelming magical power.

I tried to run away seriously just now, but was subdued while laughing.

Tia is probably as strong as or stronger than the Thousand-Year Sword Master.

But those two can’t stop one demon king.

No matter how much Rael thought about it, he couldn’t understand it.

“··· My head hurts.”

Ghost King.

A strange being who loves chocolate and scary stories.

Rael has yet to see her true self.